Take the mini Historic tour of Honolulu

Recommended Posts

Hello, today we are gonna take a mini historical tour of Honolulu, i will be adding more historical sites and pics weekly to show the many people that dont know much about the city how the city has evolved through the years. Its a really wonderful city and offers many different sides that most outsiders never get to enjoy or learn about, anyhow please enjoy and stay tuned for more............

Royal Saloon

Opened: 1890

Architect: Unknown

Style: 19th Century Commercial

Address: 2 Merchant Street

National Register: No

Hawaii Register: No

Murphys Irish Pub

^The Royal Saloon, now the home of Murphy's, is back to it's original business -- selling drinks and atmosphere.

^In the late 1960s, the red brick was covered with layers of peeling paint.

Honolulu Police Station

Opened: 1931

Architect: Louis Davis

Style: Spanish Mission Revival

Address: 842 Bethel Street

National Register: 1973 (District #73000661)

Hawaii Register: No

Architect Louis Davis designed the police station to look as if it were multi-tiered, like a wedding cake.

Yokohama Specie Bank

Opened: 1909

Architect: H.L. Kerr

Style: Renaissance Revival

Address: 36 Merchant

National Register: 1973 (District #73000661)

Hawaii Register: No

^Today, the Yokohama Specie Bank stands empty, awaiting new tenants.

^The view up Nuuanu Street during the early 1920s shows that mules were still a common sight in downtown Honolulu.

McCandless Building

Opened: 1906

Architect: H.L. Kerr

Style: Beaux Arts

Address: 925 Bethel Street

National Register: No

Hawaii Register: No

^Today, the McCandless Building features an additional story plopped right on top.

^During the 1920s, it was easier to see where the two-story design had additional stories added. Note also the wide arcade overhang.

Kamehameha V Post Office

Opened: 1871

Architect: J.G. Osbourne

Style: Renaissance Revival

Address: 46 Merchant Street

National Register: 1972 #72000416

Hawaii Register: 1979

The Kamehameha V Post Office has been restored to look much like it did on the outside in 1871, but a theater and a third floor were added to the interior.

The Kamehameha V Post Office as it originally opened in 1871. Note the post boxes in the outside wall and lack of a balcony sunshade.

The post office in 1968 had the entranceway bricked up behind the pillars. It was later reopened.

Bishop Bank Building

Opened: 1878

Architect: T.J. Baker

Style: Renaissance Revival

Address: 63 Merchant Street

National Register: 1973 (District #73000661)

Hawaii Register: No

^Many of the Bishop Bank Building's fine masonry details have been obscured by layers of stucco and paint.

^The Bishop Bank Building featured a distinctive corner entrance on Merchant and Fort Streets that was plastered over when the building's interior was subdivided.

Judd Building

Opened: 1898, remodeled 1979

Architect: Oliver Traphagen

Style: Renaissance Revival

Address: 851 Fort Street Mall

National Register: 1973

Hawaii Register: No

^The middle three floors of the Judd Building are pretty much the way they were designed by Oliver Traphagen in 1898.

Stangenwald Building

Opened: 1901, renovated 1980

Architect: Charles W. Dickey and Clinton Briggs Ripley

Style: Renaissance Revival

Address: 119 Merchant

National Register: No

Hawaii Register: No

Note that the Stangenwald Building is divided into decorative zones of 1, 3 and 2 stories. For half a century it dominated Honolulu's skyline.

^Today, the Stangenwald is overshadowed by Honolulu skyscrapers, but it is still considered a classy address for downtown businesses.

Star-Bulletin Building

Opened: 1902

Architect: Ripley & Davis

Style: Beaux Arts

Address: 125 Merchant

National Register: No

Hawaii Register: No

^By the 1930s, the Star-Bulletin building featured a false top and a hanging portico-type arcade entrance with pedimental decorations. The second floor was devoted to law offices.

Alexander & Baldwin Building

Opened: 1929

Architect: C.W. Dickey and Hart Wood

Style: Hawaiian Regional

Address: 822 Bishop Street

National Register: 1979 #79000755

Hawaii Register: 1979

The architects of the Alexander & Baldwin Building aimed for an artistic timelessness, and it looks much the same today as when it opened in 1929.

Dillingham Transportation Building

Opened: 1929

Architect: Lincoln Rogers

Style: Renaissance Revival

Address: 735 Bishop Street

National Register: 1979 #79000756

Hawaii Register: No

Lincoln Rogers' design for the Dillingham Transportation Building used Italian and Spanish elements for a tropical feeling.

^When the Dillingham building opened in 1929, it anchored the business district of downtown Honolulu with pier-side shipping.

^Arched entrances into the building lobby are crowned with medallions celebrating ocean travel.

Aloha Tower

Opened: 1926

Architect: Arthur Reynolds

Style:Late Gothic Revival

Address: Pier 9

National Register: 1976 #76000660

Hawaii Register: 1981

^Aloha Tower, an imposing feature of Honolulu's skyline since 1926, is Hawaii's best-known symbol of visitor hospitality -- and a good starting point for a tour.

^When it was built, the gleaming, 10-story Aloha Tower was used as a navigation aid for ships entering the harbor.

^Soldiers of both sexes embarked at a camouflaged Aloha Tower during World War II, at top.

Back in the day

Can you believe that this is how Honolulu used to look like back in 1943? Too bad many of these old buildings are gone though, but it looked really cool, btw these are historical pics taken during an "Air Raid" drill

The theater continued to entertain sailors and civilians as live shows gave way to films.

Today, restoration work on the theater continues as it lures patrons with dance and music performances.

The Hawaii Theatre was one of the nation's most modern theaters when it was built in 1922, designed to accommodate stage acts as well as the new medium of film. Back then, the seats were made of wicker.

Nippu Jiji Building:

Opened: 1896

Architect: Unknown

Style: Richardsonian Romanesque

Address: 928 Nuuanu Avenue

National Register: 1973 #73000658

Hawaii Register: No

Although the Nippu Jiji Building bears the dates 1895 and 1923, neither represents the year it was built.

Armstrong Building:

Opened: 1905

Architect: Unknown

Style: Commercial

Address: 185 North King Street

National Register: 1973 (District #73000658)

Hawaii Register: No

The Armstrong Building was the prototype for Chinatown buildings that featured retail space downstairs and family living space on the second floor.

Wo Fat Building:

Opened: 1900

Architect: Unknown

Style: Westernized Chinese Commercial

Address: 115 North Hotel Steet

National Register: 1973 (District #73000658)

Hawaii Register: No

Wo Fat, which dates back to 1882, prides itself on being Honolulu's oldest restaurant.

This is a copy of one of the restaurant's early menu covers.

Oahu Railway and Land Terminal:

Opened: 1927

Architect: Bertram Goodhue

Style: Spanish Mission Revival

Address: 325 North King Street

National Register: 1979

Hawaii Register: 1987

The day of the OR&L passenger train is over, and the company's grand terminal is now a depot for human services.

Izumo Taishakyo Mission:

Opened: 1906

Architect: Hego Fuchino

Style: Classical Japanese

Address: 215 North Kukui Street

National Register: No

Hawaii Register: No

In visiting the Izumo Taishakyo Mission, one experiences a cleansing ritual.

Kuan Yin Temple:

Opened: 1880

Architect: Unknown

Style: Buddhist

Address: 170 North Vineyard Boulevard

National Register: No

Hawaii Register: No

People flock to the Kuan Yin Temple this time of year to receive blessings for the new year.

Maunakea Lei Stands:

Architect: Unknown

Style: Commercial

Address: Maunakea Street

National Register: No

Hawaii Register: No

Maunakea Street was overrun by lei sellers when it was one of the few cottage industries in town.